NATURE NOTES FROM CRATER LAKE

	Volume XXIX - 1998
Presented by
National Park Service Crater Lake National Park		Crater Lake Natural History Association

This is the 50th issue of Nature Notes from Crater Lake, a milestone that took 70 years to reach. Publication began in 1928, but ceased twice, with the longest hiatus being for three decades after 1961. A symposium held in 1992 brought about the current revival of this serial and it has appeared every year since then.

The first issues of Nature Notes were mimeographed by park staff and appeared between one and three times each summer for the first ten years of publication. The present format and restriction to an annual volume started in 1950. National Park Service naturalists at that time wanted to economize on effort, but not at the cost of sacrificing the qualities which made Nature Notes a popular and inexpensive sales item. The background of contributors has since broadened to include employees working in other fields besides interpretation, in addition to long time friends of the park.

Volunteers came to the aid of this year's volume with articles that underline the importance of observation. They are simply the latest in a long line of individuals who believe in the importance of an educational program at Crater Lake National Park. Two other volunteers, Jamie Halperin and Randall Payne, deserve special recognition, as they have put back issues of Nature Notes on the park's web site (http://www.nps.gov/crla) last winter.

The Crater Lake Natural History Association encourages the reprinting of articles that appear in Nature Notes so long as credit is given to the authors and the association. CLNHA sponsors this publication as part of its commitment to assist the educational and resource management programs of the National Park Service. Please join them in this effort by becoming a member of CLNHA, and receive a 15 percent discount on all sales items. A list of these items can be obtained from the Business Manager, Crater Lake Natural History Association, P. O. Box 157, Crater Lake OR 97604.

This issue of Nature Notes is dedicated to the memory of Richard M. "Dick" Brown, who passed away on May 31, 1998. His career spanned the years from 1952 to 1970 at Crater Lake, where he had stints as assistant park naturalist, chief park naturalist, and then research biologist. Trained as a plant taxonomist, he combined academic rigor with a gift for interpreting to the public, thereby inspiring two generations of NPS employees who were privileged enough to know him.

Drawing by L. Howard Crawford, Nature Notes from Crater Lake, 7:3, September 1934.